1. Field of the Invention
Generally, this invention is directed towards an apparatus for manufacturing printed circuit boards and for assisting the process of soldering metals to integrated circuit boards. More specifically, this invention relates to a gauge device for measuring the height of a solder wave during setup that will provide more consistent soldering applications during the manufacturing process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, when a circuit board is prepared for soldering a multiplicity of component together, the circuit board is run through a device using a wave solder approach. The circuit board is placed onto a conveyor line whereby the circuit board is held by a plurality of gripping fingers. The circuit board is first carried through a fluxing bath, and then through an oven to prepare the components for soldering. The bottom face of the circuit board is then carried in contact with a wave-like flow of molten solder. All of the components are thereby soldered together with increased accuracy.
The problem occurs when the height of the solder wave that comes in contact with the circuit board is not at an optimum level. If the wave height is too high, solder will flow on the top surface of the circuit board and ruin the board or at least cause the circuit board to fail. If the height of the solder wave is too low, some of the components may not be soldered appropriately and the circuit board may fail or at least fail prematurely in time. Employees are often reprimanded if they adjust the height of the wave to high whereby the solder flow gets onto the top surface of the integrated circuit board. Thus many employees, tend to adjust the wave height too low thereby giving inconsistent solder to the bottom of the integrated circuit board. Thus, there is a higher failure rate for the circuit board under test functions.
Several approaches have been provided for solder wave measurements, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,175, "In a wave solder manufacturing process, a test device is used to measure the contact-area between a solder wave and a printed wiring board. In particular, the test device is a printed wiring board (PWB) that includes at least two arrays of electrical contact, one array near each side of the PWB. As the PWB make contact with a solder wave, the number of electrical contacts in each array that are grounded by the solder wave are counted and displayed on an alpha -numeric display mounted on top of the PWB."
In the art taught by Willemen, of U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,988, "The invention relates to a device for measuring the height of a solder wave in a soldering apparatus which comprises a solder bath and which is provided with at least one solder tower for generating a solder wave and a pump connected to the solder tower, wherein the measuring device comprises: means for measuring the liquid pressure in the connection between the pump and the solder tower. As a result of these steps, it is possible to measure accurately the pressure of the solder moving out of the pump to the solder tower. This pressure is in any case a good measure for the height of the solder wave."
While some of the prior art may contain some similarities relating to the present invention, none of them teach, suggest or include all of the advantages and unique features of a solder wave height set-up gauge as presented by the applicant's invention.